Scroll down the CARB homepage and check out the Smog Alerts:
Homepage | California Air Resources Board
California is doing a very good job of cleaning up the state. However, their doing so has earned trump anger, which he demonstrated by dishing the state for passing auto emission controls that were tighter than the rest of the nation.
So many cars, we had to clamp down. If you think about it, vehicles are faster, lighter, get better mileage because of it.
And even with the better mileage and less pollution of the standard pollutants, once you start removing those, you are left with Ozone and the only way to get rid of that is to completely stop using Gas and Diesel Power Cars and Trucks. Ozone isn't just what helps to block the harmful radiation from space, close to the earth, it's a deadly poison. Either we find a different way or. You fill in the blank.
All in for going forward, which should continue. The petro era needs to end. When I lived in the UK everyone drove a small peashooter car because the cost of fuel was outrageous. If the price of fuel was that expensive here in the US do you think people would see things different? Someone told me once, "people only do what they only did before" and that could be the challenge.
I am not saying it's going to end abruptly. I am nearing the end to my latest build of my new electric trike. It will be used for day to driving instead of my truck. When I need the truck, I need the truck. But 11 mpg is a bit much. It can set there until I need it. But just to go shopping or as a grocery getter, it stays parked. Better to use the electric trike that operates for pennies on the dollar.
Okay, I have to give up some luxury items like Heater, Air Conditions (it does have mother natures own) The windshield is eye protection, Doors, and a few other non essential things. But for just a two or three mile jaunt up the road and back, just how much will I miss most of the rest? And it's just as safe in an accident as anything on the road with a full roll cage and a 4 point safety harness. Can I take it out on the Interstate? No. But that's what I have the truck for. Can I take it to Denver and Back (240 mi radius), nope. Again, that's what I have that 3 ton truck for. But that truck has been costing me almost a hundred a month for fuel. With the trike coming online, that cost should drop to about 10 bucks a month. The Trike should cost less than 4 bucks a month to operate.
If you look at the cost of total operation of the truck, the only thing that will drop will be the maintenance and fuel. The rest will stay the same. So the oil changes will still happen once a year instead of twice a year so that's another savings. Tires will last 5 years instead of 3. (those 12 plys do cost).
Having the electric as the 2nd vehicle for normal day to day operation makes sense. I've done it in the past (some really sorry SOB stole my last one about 2 years ago). And I didn't realize how much that saved me until I rejoined the Human Race. There is NO reason that families can't have a low cost electric vehicle like I build for a grocery getter along with their gas rig. Yes, it's not a Lexus or a Mercedes but it isn't costing 60K to own either. Most say that only the rich can afford electric vehicles. Wrong. The Poor should be driving these.